An ongoing turf war in the volatile Rockfort community of east Kingston has now left a common-law couple dead and other residents of the community gripped with fear.

Dead are 26-year-old Conrad Mcknight and his common-law wife, 20-year-old Crystal Lawrence.

Police reports are that about 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, armed thugs went to a house on Hyppolite Road where they forced their way in and opened fire on the couple.

They died on the spot.

Their one-year-old infant was also at the house but was spared, the police said.

Meanwhile, THE STAR has learnt that men from that street are at odds with men from other sections of the community.

The men are reportedly feuding over the refusal of men from Hyppolite Road to join forces with the alleged area leader.

This, residents are claiming, has resulted in the reports of several shootings and unbearable tension.

"Di yute dem a seh dem nah link wid di don so naturally fi him thugs dem a waan step pon dem ... Di place tense, tense, tense," one resident told THE STAR.

The police say they will be maintaining a strong presence in the area.